Senior Network Engineer

DWP Digital; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 67,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Flexible working hours

Pension scheme

Professional development

Discretionary bonus

Volunteer days

Job summary

DWP Digital is seeking a Senior Network Engineer to join our team and help design scalable, resilient network services. You will lead complex technical solutions, drive automation efforts, and mentor engineers across the network infrastructure.

The role supports hybrid working in multiple UK hubs, including our focus on modern, automated network operations using Arista, Palo Alto, and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure). A strong documentation mindset and leadership are essential.

Qualifications

• Advanced network architectures and routing with VXLAN/EVPN, VRF, OSPF/BGP (Arista).
• Experience in load balancing (F5 ASM/APM, DNS).
• Automation/DevOps: Infrastructure as Code, Configuration as Code, CI/CD pipelines.
• Able to document designs and procedures; takes accountability and proactivity.
• Strong technical leadership within Network Engineering and mentoring.
• NGFW design/maintenance with Palo Alto and Panorama.

Responsibilities

• Shape scalable, resilient network services and lead complex technical solutions.
• Automate repetitive network tasks to increase efficiency.
• Mentor engineers and provide technical direction.
• Collaborate with Architecture and Engineering teams to align designs.
• Document network designs and operational procedures.

Skills

Network architectures

Routing protocols

Load balancing

Automation & DevOps

Documentation & communication

Leadership

NGFW expertise

Tools

Arista

Palo Alto

Aruba

AWS

Azure

Job description

Pay of up to £74,399 plus 28.97% employer pension contributions, hybrid working, flexible hours, and great work life balance.

DWP. Digital with Purpose.

We are looking for outstanding Senior Infrastructure Engineers who are skilled in network automation to join our community of tech experts in DWP Digital, to assist in the design of Infrastructure services in collaboration with Architecture and Engineering principles.

We're using fresh ideas and leading-edge tech to build and maintain digital solutions that will be used by nearly every person in the UK, every day and at key moments in their lives.

DWP is the UK's largest government department. We help people into work and make payments worth over £280bn a year to support and empower millions of people.

The scale of what we do is extraordinary, and our purpose is unique. We'd love you to join us.

What skills, knowledge and experience will you need?

• Advanced Network Architectures and Routing: Proficient in VXLAN overlays, EVPN, multi-site fabrics, VRF segmentation and dynamic routing protocols (OSPF, BGP), particularly using Arista technologies.
• Traffic Optimization & Load Balancing: Experienced in load balancing solutions including F5 ASM, APM and DNS.
• Automation & DevOps Practices: Good background in Infrastructure as Code, Configuration as Code and CI/CD pipelines for streamlined network operations.
• Communication skills with the ability to document network designs and procedures effectively. Takes accountability for issues that occur and is proactive in searching for potential problems.
• Leadership and technical direction: Demonstrates strong technical leadership within Network Engineering, acting as a role model for best practice. Provides clear direction, mentors engineers, supports capability development and leads by example in the delivery of resilient, high-quality network services.
• Next-Generation Firewall Expertise: Skilled in configuring, designing and maintaining NGFWs with emphasis on Palo Alto Firewalls with centralized management via Panorama..

You and your role

Being a Senior Network Engineer at DWP Digital is about much more than keeping the network running.

You'll help shape scalable, resilient network services, lead complex technical solutions and find smarter ways to automate repetitive work.

Experience with Arista, Palo Alto, Aruba, AWS or Azure would be useful, but you don't need to tick every box. If you've also worked with Python or Ansible for network automation, even better.

Location:

You’ll join us in one of our brilliant digital hubs in Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester or Newcastle, whichever is more convenient for you.

Hybrid Working:

We work a hybrid model - you'll spend some time working at home and some time collaborating face to face in a hub.

Pay:

We offer competitive pay of up to

74,399

Pension:

You’ll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions worth

£17,000 per year.

Holidays:

A generous leave package starting at 26 days rising to 31 days over time.

You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexitime. You’ll also get all the usual public holidays.

We have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Flexible working including flexible hours and flex-friendly policies
• Time off volunteering and charitable giving
• Bring your authentic self to work with 'I Can Be Me in DWP'
• Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more
• Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it's even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.

And we have an award-winning environment and culture:

• DWP have been recognised as 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards
• Diverse and Inclusive Leadership at Digital Leaders Awards 2024
• Commended as Best Place to Work in Digital category in the Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards 2025
• Recognised as one of the Best Public Sector Employers at 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards

Process:

We know your time is valuable, so our application and selection process are just two stages:

Interview: a single stage interview online.